Vibratory roller device



Oct. 1, 1963 H. DION ElAL 3,105,424

VIBRATORY ROLLER DEVICE Filed Oct. 19, 1960 FIG] INVENTORS HENRI DIONJACQUES COUTHON BM w ATTORNEYS United States Patent 3,105,424 VIBRATORYROLLER DEVICE Henri Dion, Franconville, and Jacques Couthon, Paris,France, assignors to Etablissement J. Couthon, Paris, France, acorporation of France Filed Get. 19, 1969, Ser. No. 63,594 Claimspriority, application France Dec. 23, 1959 4 Ciaims. (ill. 94-50) Thisinvention relates to vibratory roller devices of the type used in thepreparai-ton and conditioning of e.g. concrete ground surfaces, roadsurfaces, and the like. Vibratory roller devices of the class to whichthe invention relates generally comprise a hollow roller memberjournalled on a frame, a shaft extending coaxially through the rollerand having an unbalancing weight thereon, and means on the frame forrotating the shaft to generate vibrations which are transmitted throughthe roller to a surface over which said roller is being moved forvibrating the surface.

In devices of this kind, due to the inherent manner of operation thereofviolent reciprocatory strains are set up in the roller mounting assemblyby the vibrations generated by the unbalanced shaft. The repeatedstrains would quickly put the device out of order unless very sturdymounting means are provided for the various components of the assemblyincluding especially the roller thereof. Usually, this requirement hasbeen met in conventional vibratory roller devices by journalling theroller and the coaxial vibratory shaft at both ends on a suitablemounting frame, or by using equivalent mounting arrangements requiringthe frame to project beyond both ends of the roller.

Mainly for this reason, conventional vibratory roller devices do notreadily permit of .treating surface areas 'close to obstacles projectingfrom the surface, such as near the foot of a wall, tree or other similarprojecting object, because a projecting part of the frame of the devicewould get in the way and foul the obstacle. Special smaller-sizevibrating devices were required to treat such surface areas, thuscomplicating the operations on the worksite and increasing costs.

It is an important object of this invention to provide an improvedvibratory roller device which can easily be used even in crampedcircumstances to vibrate surface areas in immediate proximity to aprojecting obstacle. Another object is to provide a vibratory rollerdevice in which the roller is mounted in substantially cantileverrelationship on its frame member, whereby the free end of the roller maybe passed over a surface area immediately adjacent to an obstaclewithout the frame member fouling the obstacle, and wherein at the sametime the roller mounting means are strong and sturdy and will ensure along service life for the device. An object is to provide an improvedvibratory roller construction which is simple and strong, includeseffective flexible vibration-transmitting means, to the roller Whilesubstantially preventing the undesirable transmission of vibrations tothe mounting frame; and wherein the components are few in number and areeasily assembled and dismantled.

In accordance with this invention there is broadly provided a vibratoryroller device wherein a hollow roller and an unbalanced vibratory shaftextending coaxially into the roller, are mounted, through means to bespecifled, from only one side of a supporting frame member, whereby topermit vibratory engagement of the roller with a surface withoutinterference of the frame member with any obstacle projecting from saidsurface adjacent the free end of said roller.

The above and other objects and aspects of the invention, as well as thenovel features of construction thereof,

3,,lfl5jl24 Patented Get. 1, 1%63 will appear clearly from the ensuingdetailed description of an exemplary embodiment of the invention,illustrated in the accompanying drawings wherein:

FIG. 1 is a somewhat simplified view of an improved vibratory rollerdevice in vertical cross section; and

FIG. 2 is a similar view, but in horizontal section, of a somewhatmodified embodiment.

Referring to FIG. 1, an improved vibratory roller device is shown ascomprising a frame member in the form of an L- haped metallic bracketincluding an upper horizontal flange 1 and a vertical flange 2.Projecting from the vertical flange 2 and spaced below flange 1 is astationary arbor or shaft 3. Also projecting from flange 2 is acylindrical sleeve 4 which surrounds arbor 3 in coaxially spacedrelation therewith and extends over a limited length of arbor 3 from theframe flange 2.

A roller member 8 in the form of a hollow cylinder of sheet metal has anend flange 9 sealing its outer end for protection against ingress ofdirt, and has an open inner end 13; the roller further includes two (ormore) axially spaced inner flanges or diaphragms 10 and 11 formed withcentral apertures 12. The roller member 8 extends at its outer endsomewhat beyond the end of frame flange 1, and is rotatably supported atits inner end from the frame 1-2 by way of a journal sleeve 5 rotatablyengaging the outer surface of frame sleeve portion 4, and which journalsleeve 5 is formed at its outer end with an annular groove or channel 18in which is press-fitted a ring 19 of resilient material such as rubber,firmly bonded at its axially outer end surface to the inner flange ordiaphragm it? of the roller. At its outer end, the roller 8 is rotatablysupported from the outer end of fixed arbor 3 by way of a similararrangement including a rubber ring 19 bonded to inner roller flange ordiaphragm l1 and press-fitted within an annular channel 18 integral witha journal sleeve member 7 having a hub portion rotatable around theouter end of stationary arbor 3.

A tubular vibratory shaft 15, formed with an eccentric unbalancingweight 16 on a side of it, surrounds the fixed arbor 3 in radiallyspaced relation therewith over a major portion of the extent of saidarbor, and is re tained in centered relationship with the roller memberby means of axially spaced ball bearings 14, the outer races of whichare secured in the central apertures of the respective inner flanges ordiaphragms l6 and 11 of the roller.

Means here shown as motor M mounted on the frame member 1-2, areprovided for rotating the vibrator shaft 1516 through a drive connectionshown as a drive belt 21 trained at its ends around a pulley mounted onthe shaft of motor M and around a pulley groove 17 formed or securedaround the inner end of the vibratory shaft 15, and extending through anaperture in sleeve 4. In the embodiment shown, the motor M also servesto rotate the roller 8 in order to advance the vibrator device over aground or the like surface to e reated and for this purpose there isshown a further drive belt 2% trained around an output pulley of motor Mand around a pulley groove 6 formed or secured around the inner end ofthe journal sleeve 5 which is flexibly coupled to the roller by way ofrubber ring 12% as above described. Yielding buffer stops 22, made e.g.of rubber, are secured at one or more suitable points of the surface offrame flange 1 to take up the smallamplitude radial deflections of theflexibly-mounted roller 8.

In operation, motor M rotates the tubular vibrator shaft 15 through beltdrive 21 and thus generates vibrations due to the unbalanced characterof shaft 1516. Simultaneously the roller 8 is rotated through belt drive29 to advance the device over the surface to be vibrationtreated. Thevibrations generated by shaft 1516 are transmitted to the roller throughthe inner flanges or diapihragms 1'0 and 11, and from the roller to theground sprface. However, the flexible mounting means 18-49 substantiallyprevent the transmission of said vibrations to the fixed arbor 3 and theframe 12.

It will be evident that the vibratory roller device described above canbe used for vibrating a surface even in an area that may lie immediatelyadjacent some upstanding projection or obstacle, such as a wall of abuilding, or a kerb, by so placing the device that the outer end of theroller engages said area with the axis of the roller generally normal:to said wall or other obstacle; in such position the frame member 1-2will clear the obstacle in contrast with what would occur in aconventionally constructed vibratory roller device. At the same time, itwill be noted that the roller is firmly supported from the frame ataxially spaced points, due to the provision of the stationary arbor 3and the spaced inner roller flanges or diaphragrns 19 and 11, so that itcan be exposed to prolonged service under the strenuous vibratoryconditions involved without any failure to the roller mounting means andother components. The device is simple to assemble and dismantle, e.g.for mainterrance and repairs, since the roller can be inserted inposition around the fixed arbor 3 and removed therefiom without havingto dismantle the frame and without interference from the frame. Theframe itself, including the integral flanges 1 and 2 and the arbor 3, issimple and sturdy and is substantially free from vibrational strains inservice owing to the resilient means described for mounting thevibrating components thereon, so that it is long-lived. If desired, thestationary shaft or arbor 3 may be made from special alloy steel whilethe journal sleeve may be a steel casting.

The modified version shown in FIG. 2 is similar to that just described,the only difference being that in this modification the horizontalflange 1 of the frame member is omitted, so that the roller 8 liesentirely outside the frame, except at its inner end near frame member 2.An arm 23 is shown extending from the frame member 2 for steering thedevice over the ground.

It will be understood that various other modifications may be madewithout departingfrom the scope of the invention. For example the drivemeans for the roller from motor M may be omitted; the rotatable mountingmeans for the roller about fixed arbor 3 may assume other forms thanthat shown.

What we claim is: I

1. A vibratory roller device, comprising a frame; a stationary,horizontal arbor having an inner end and an outer end, said inner endbeing connected to said frame and projecting outwardly therefrom as acantilever; a roller surrounding said arbor and having an axis ofrotation; an unbalanced shaft within said roller and surrounding saidarbor and being vibratable transversely when rotated; a tubular sleeveprojecting from said frame and surrounding said shaft; a plurality oftransverse, centrally-apertured diaphragms spaced along said axis ofrotation and connected to said roller; first means rotatably supportingsaid roller and comprising a plurality of hearing surface members,different ones respectively rotatably engaging said arbor and saidtubular sleeve. and being resiliently coupled to dififerent ones of saidplurality (if diaphragms, whereby said frame is substantially isolatedfrom transverse motion of said roller; second means rotatably supportingsaid shaft and comprising a plurality of bearing surfaces substantiallyrigidly coupled in the transverse sense to different ones of saidplurality of diaphragms, whereby the vibration of said unbalanced shaftis transmitted to said roller; and drive means mounted on said frameadjacent said inner end of said arbor for rotating said shaft.

2. The device of claim 1, said drive means including means for alsorotating said roller.

3. The device of claim 1, in which said plurality of bearing surfacemembers are resiliently coupled to different ones of said plurality ofdiaphragms by means comprising annular resilient members secured on onesurface to different ones of said diaphragms and secured on the oppositesurface to the corresponding bearing surface member.

4. The device of claim 3, in which said drive means includes means foralso rotating said roller.

References Cited in the file of this patent UNITED STATES PATENTS

1. A VIBRATORY ROLLER DEVICE, COMPRISING A FRAME; A STATIONARY,HORIZONTAL ARBOR HAVING AN INNER END AND AN OUTER END, SAID INNER ENDBEING CONNECTED TO SAID FRAME AND PROJECTING OUTWARDLY THEREFROM AS ACANTILIVER; A ROLLER SURROUNDING SAID ARBOR AND HAVING AN AXIS OFROTATION; AN UNBALANCED SHAFT WITHIN SAID ROLLER AND SURROUNDING SAIDARBOR AND BEING VIBRATABLE TRANSVERSELY WHEN ROTATED; A TUBULAR SLEEVEPROJECTING FROM SAID FRAME AND SURROUNDING SAID SHAFT; A PLURALITY OFTRANSVERSE, CENTRALLY-APERTURED DIAPHRAGMS SPACED ALONG SAID AXIS OFROTATION AND CONNECTED TO SAID ROLLER; FIRST MEANS ROTATABLY SUPPORTINGSAID ROLLER AND COMPRISING A PLURALITY OF BEARING SURFACE MEMBERS,DIFFERENT ONES RESPECTIVELY ROTATABLY ENGAGING SAID ARBOR AND SAIDTUBULAR SLEEVE AND BEING RESILIENTLY COUPLED TO DIFFERENT ONES OF SAIDPLURALITY OF DIAPHRAGMS, WHEREBY SAID FRAME IS SUBSTANTIALLY ISOLATEDFROM TRANSVERSE MOTION OF SAID ROLLER; SECOND MEANS ROTATABLY SUPPORTINGSAID SHAFT AND COMPRISING A PLURALITY OF BEARING SURFACES SUBSTANTIALLYRIGIDLY COUPLED IN THE TRANSVERSE SENSE TO DIFFERENT ONES OF SAIDPLURALITY OF DIAPHRAGMS, WHEREBY THE VIBRATIONS OF SAID UNBALANCED SHAFTIS TRANSMITTED TO SAID ROLLER; AND DRIVE MEANS MOUNTED ON SAID FRAMEADJACENT SAID INNER END OF SAID ARBOR FOR ROTATING SAID SHAFT.